Bears

Welcome to the weekly Bear Download podcast with Rich Campbell and Dan Wiederer. Listen below or subscribe and listen on iTunes | Stitcher | Google Play The Tribune's Rich Campbell and Dan Wiederer break down Mitch Trubisky's preseason debut and all the hype that came along after it (1:44 mark),...

The space between the end of an offensive line and an outside receiver, commonly called the slot, decides more NFL games than ever before. Cole Beasley lined up there on 85 percent of his snaps last season, and he led the Dallas Cowboys in catches and receiving yards. His ability out of the slot...

During his media session prior to Thursday's game against the Reds, Cubs manager Joe Maddon looked at his watch when asked if he'd heard from the league about any discipline as a result of his ninth-inning tirade toward umpires the previous night. "Have not," Maddon said. "It's still early." Crew...

Cubs manager Joe Maddon discusses the injury to starting pitcher Jon Lester during the team's 13-10 loss to the Reds on Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. Lester left the game with tightness in his left lat muscle in the second inning. (Chris Kuc/Chicago Tribune)

White Sox

Derek Holland was on a mission to find Adrian Beltre on Thursday afternoon at Globe Life Park. Before the White Sox and Rangers squared off in the opener of a four-game series, the Sox left-hander had an engraved bottle of scotch to give Beltre in honor of his 3,000th career hit last month. Holland...

White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf made clear he’d like to see Ozzie Guillen manage in the major leagues again. He said he’s recommended Guillen for jobs. Reinsdorf also made clear Guillen wouldn’t be doing so with the Sox. In a recent interview with USA Today, Reinsdorf said Guillen "burned some...

When Leury Garcia saw his name at the top of the White Sox lineup Wednesday afternoon, he walked over to talk to Tim Anderson. A night earlier, while serving as the leadoff man against Dodgers left-hander Alex Wood, Anderson hit a home run on the first pitch of the game. “When I got here, I saw...

Bulls

Speculation about Dwyane Wade's future again is reverberating in South Florida. It started with what appeared to be a benign, non-sourced comment in an ESPN analytical piece on the Chicago Bulls' future that said, "Dwyane Wade isn't long for the organization's future and is expected to reach a...

Not since 2008 has a Bulls schedule release been met with such modest expectations. And even that summer carried with it the intrigue and potential of No. 1 pick Derrick Rose, who stormed to Rookie of the Year honors as the Bulls finished 41-41 in Vinny Del Negro's first season with an epic seven-game...

Dwyane Wade can look at his latest performance rating in the NBA 2K18 video game as a case of good news and bad news. He revealed that he and fellow 2005-06 Miami Heat teammate Shaquille O'Neal made the game's all-time team. That season, Wade led the Heat to its first championship, and in the game...

Blackhawks

It may be the dog days of summer, but it’s never too early to think hockey. The NHL Network ranked the Top 20 wingers in the game today and, not surprisingly, the Blackhawks’ Patrick Kane was No. 1. On the list revealed Sunday, Kane topped a group that was followed by Nikita Kucherov, Brad Marchand,...

It was a mini-Blackhawks reunion this weekend courtesy of a former player tying the knot. Andrew Shaw, the winger who helped the Hawks win Stanley Cups in 2013 and 2015, got married near Toronto on Saturday and the guest list included some current and former Hawks. Jonathan Toews was there and...

The White Sox, who may not get to say they are No. 1 much lately, have beaten Chicago’s other major pro sports teams in the fan experience they deliver, according to a J.D. Power report released Wednesday. Ironically, it’s possible their lack of big crowds may have helped them. The Bears, meanwhile,...

College sports

Billy Price might be the perfect guy for Ohio State to have host its football recruits. Or the worst guy. On top of being an All-Big Ten offensive lineman, Price is an All-America talker with a future in broadcasting. But here's the rub: He won't tell typical recruits what they want to hear. "With...

Tommy Rees is quite familiar with everything associated with playing quarterback at Notre Dame, having gone 23-8 as the Irish starter between 2010 and 2013. The Lake Forest graduate is in a new role as Notre Dame's quarterbacks coach, helping to guide new starter Brandon Wimbush. And he likes what...

High school sports

Dick Berry was a gregarious, slightly pudgy forward for Northwestern who mostly was interested in just game days. "He was a lot of fun," teammate Joe Ruklick said of Berry. "He liked to drink beer and he was overweight. He didn't like to practice hard, though." Nick Mantis couldn't take the lazy...

As a crowd gathered near sunset Tuesday outside of North Lawndale College Prep, a man lit white candles arranged on the sidewalk to spell "J Mills." Gold balloons in the same letters were tied to a black fence. Many wore the same gold and red shirts with the No. 4 and "J. Millz" on the back that...

Most read sports stories this hour

The Bears practiced Thursday at Prospect High School, marking the second straight summer they've held a preseason practice on a high school field in the northwest suburbs. On a breezy evening, an announced crowd of 4,713 people attended the 90-minute session. Here are two things we learned as the...

Kevin Durant may be from the Washington area, but he has no intention of visiting one of the city's most famous landmarks anytime soon. On Wednesday, Durant, who grew up in Seat Pleasant, Maryland, said he will not attend a White House reception to celebrate the Golden State Warriors' NBA championship...

The Bears are not feeling internal pressure to rush Mitch Trubisky's development — but the team knows that crucial to preparing the rookie is having him face pressure. Trubisky's debut in last week's 24-17 exhibition loss to the Broncos at Soldier Field increased public interest in seeing the No....

The sun peeked through puffy clouds as the wind blew out on a warm summer day, fighter jets buzzed a packed Wrigley Field while practicing for this weekend's Chicago Air and Water Show and Jon Lester was on the mound against the worst team in the National League Central Division. What could possibly...

Reynaldo Lopez woke up Thursday morning with soreness on his right side near his rib cage, an ache he figured was the result of a long early morning flight from Los Angeles to Texas on the White Sox charter. The rookie made the second start of his Sox career at Globe Life Park on Thursday night...

Along with getting good grades and listening to their parents, LeBron James has encouraged kids in his foundation's educational program to stand up for their beliefs. On Tuesday night, the superstar gave a lesson in how it's done. Concluding a day of fun and games at an amusement park, James turned...

Kevin White emerged from his first game action in 312 days feeling optimistic about what’s ahead. The third-year receiver played 19 snaps (12 passing plays) in the Bears’ exhibition loss to the Broncos last Thursday. Although he wasn’t targeted by quarterback Mike Glennon, he sensed an important...

The Tribune's Brad Biggs answers your Bears questions weekly. Is it a foregone conclusion Victor Cruz makes the team? It seems like there are a lot of bodies at WR they could take. Some with more special teams value too. — @lstanczyk27 Cruz is unlikely to offer much value on special teams and I...

Take that, Hawk. The Cubs’ official Twitter account sent some shade toward White Sox announcer Hawk Harrelson during Monday night’s game. In response to Harrelson earlier this month calling Wrigley Field “a joke” and vowing to never step foot in the ballpark again, the Cubs struck back following...

It will likely go down as one of the more memorable ceremonial first pitches in Fenway Park history. On Wednesday night, as the Red Sox continued their annual fundraiser with the Jimmy Fund, 18-year-old cancer survivor Jordan Leandre was invited to throw out the first pitch. As Leandre threw the...

Kris Bryant got tossed from a game last month for the first time in his career after arguing a strike that clearly was out of the zone. Ben Zobrist nearly got ejected Wednesday after a strike was called on a hit-by-pitch in the ninth inning. It's getting weird on the North Side, and manager Joe...

White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf made clear he’d like to see Ozzie Guillen manage in the major leagues again. He said he’s recommended Guillen for jobs. Reinsdorf also made clear Guillen wouldn’t be doing so with the Sox. In a recent interview with USA Today, Reinsdorf said Guillen "burned some...

Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant isn't shy about his admiration of Reds All-Star Joey Votto. "He's the best player ever," said Bryant, who was flattered this week when Votto told him his approach at the plate looked a lot better. "He's my favorite player. I love watching him. I love talking to him...

Ten thoughts after the Bears opened the preseason Thursday night with a 24-17 loss to the Broncos at Soldier Field that sparked optimism within the organization and fan base after the debut of rookie quarterback Mitch Trubisky. 1. Let’s not overdo it based on first-round draft pick Mitch Trubisky’s...

Mark Sanchez came to the media tent Thursday with a smile on his face and a warm greeting. "Good to meet y'all," Sanchez said. Indeed, this was the first time the 30-year-old quarterback had met Chicago reporters since signing with the Bears in March; since later learning that he not only would...

Hall of Fame baseball player Roberto Clemente is one step closer to becoming a saint, according to Christian Newswire, which reported late last month that Pope Francis officially declared the former Pittsburgh Pirate "blessed." With beatification, the Puerto Rican has just one step left to become...

When the Bears reported to training camp, coach John Fox touted the most competitive roster they've had in his three seasons on the job. Almost three weeks later, it's not clear how that translates to their climb out of the NFC North basement. The Bears left Olivet Nazarene University on Monday...

During his media session prior to Thursday's game against the Reds, Cubs manager Joe Maddon looked at his watch when asked if he'd heard from the league about any discipline as a result of his ninth-inning tirade toward umpires the previous night. "Have not," Maddon said. "It's still early." Crew...

When training camp began three weeks ago, Bears kicker Connor Barth arrived at Olivet Nazarene University in style — riding shotgun in punter Pat O'Donnell's sleek loaner McLaren. On Monday, as the Bears broke camp for good, Barth had to wonder whether he might soon be on an express train out of...

The Cubs will wake up early Friday morning and get ready to play baseball again at Wrigley Field. But if manager Joe Maddon had his way, they'd be able to sleep in, do their laundry and get to the park in the late afternoon for a 7 p.m. start, like every other team. "I think 107 years indicates it...

By claiming kicker Roberto Aguayo off waivers from the Buccaneers, the Bears picked up a $428,000 guarantee to the kicker this season. In claiming Aguayo, who was added when wide receiver Rueben Randle was placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury, the Bears also inherited the contract...

Kei Nishikori is the latest top player to pull out of the U.S. Open because of an injury.The agent for the 2014 runner-up and 2016 semifinalist at Flushing Meadows said Wednesday that Nishikori will miss the rest of the season because of a torn tendon in his right wrist.Olivier van Lindonk wrote...

Monday night's Blue Jays-White Sox game was a remarkable 1 hour, 54 minutes long, the shortest major-league game in four years. But what is the fastest nine-inning in MLB history? That would be the Sept. 28, 1919, game between the New York Giants and the Philadelphia Phillies in the Polo Grounds....

A 17-year-old transgender boy completed an undefeated season Saturday by winning a controversial Texas state girls wrestling title in an event clouded by criticism from those who believe the testosterone he's taking as he transitions from female to male created an unfair advantage. The family of...